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School Improvement Plan

Every year, the school reviews the progress that has been made and sets new improvement priorities to be worked on and achieved over the following school year.  On this page, you will find the priorities that have been set and approved by the governors for 2020 - 2021.  Progress towards achieving these is reported to the full governing body throughout the year to ensure they are being met to a high standard.  If you would like to know any more about these priorities or how we are working towards achieving them, then please either speak to the Headteacher or a member of the governing body.

Priority 1 - Achievement of Pupils

Linked Ofsted Target: To improve planning in English and the wider curriculum to ensure that all pupils can learn to the best of their abilities.

Actions Taken

  • During Performance Management meetings in the Autumn Term, appropriately challenging targets were set for all pupils using prior attainment/ baseline data (EYFS) as the starting point for the targets. Catch Up funding/ Pupil Premium funding has been used to target intervention and Booster Support.
  • Pupil Progress meetings took place during the Autumn Term and Spring 2 – these meetings highlighted pupils causing concern and interventions to support accelerated progress. Intervention groups and outcomes have been monitored by the SENDCO to ensure quality of support and impact.
  • In school moderation took place during the Autumn Term to support consistency of assessment judgements. EYFS, Year 2 and Year 6 staff will attend external LA moderation opportunities in Summer 2.
  • The school has engaged with the New Wave English Hub to complete a Phonics audit. This process highlighted areas of provision requiring improved consistency and has supported the school to shape provision going forwards. An updated Phonics Policy now provides staff with increased clarity regarding the expectations for teaching phonics.
  • The school was given £6000 from the Hub to access Letters and Sounds training and to purchase decodable texts - the training has been arranged and the decodable texts have been ordered. The LA has also given the school an additional £1000 for decodable texts to increase the number of each individual book which we could buy.
  • TAs have received Phonics training focussed on terminology, enunciation and pedagogy. Teachers have received training from the LA Phonics Champion focussing upon approaches to pedagogy and games.
  • The Teaching & Learning Policy has been reviewed and updated with staff to facilitate consistency in practice across the school. This Policy identifies the Assessment for Learning approaches which should be adopted by all staff as part of their practice as well as guidance on Learning Environments.
  • AfL tasks are used across the curriculum to establish pupil starting points – planning is more tailored to the needs and interests of the pupils to inform appropriate levels of challenge and scaffolded support.

Priority 2 - Quality of Teaching

Linked Ofsted Target: To improve the organisation and management of classroom activities and routines so that pupils know what to do and swiftly receive any help they need. This includes the early years.

Actions Taken

  • The Teaching & Learning Policy has been reviewed and updated with staff to facilitate consistency in practice across the school. This Policy identifies the Assessment for Learning approaches which should be adopted by all staff as part of their practice as well as guidance on Learning Environments.
  • The English Leader has mapped out text types to be taught across the school and has provided staff with training on progression documents for each text type; this has supported staff with planning for English and ensuring there is appropriate progression and challenge across the school. The English Policy has been updated to reflect the changes made. Greater consistency and understanding has also been facilitated for staff through the updated Phonics Policy.
  • All staff have received Reading for Inference training – these reading strategies are being developed across the school to ensure consistency in teaching approaches and embedded understanding for the children.
  • The English Subject Leader has led staff CPD focussed upon modelling/’think aloud’ strategy – during learning walks/observations this has been observed in practice to a good effect.
  • The school has engaged with the New Wave English Hub to complete a Phonics audit. This process highlighted areas of provision requiring improved consistency and has supported the school to shape provision going forwards. An updated Phonics Policy now provides staff with increased clarity regarding the expectations for teaching phonics.
  • The Teaching and Learning Policy provides guidance for the learning environment – these have been monitored during Learning Walks/observations and have been found to be supportive to the children (pupil voice feedback).
  • Writing across the curriculum is being planned for more regularly across the school to enable the children to practice and apply skills taught. The English Subject Leader has provided support for staff with linking topics to genres/texts.
  • Where it has been possible staff have engaged with external links to enhance/support the children’s learning i.e. Sikh parents supporting with RE Q&A
  • Staff have been given opportunities to visit practitioners in other schools/within school – staff have reflected upon practice observed and used ideas to shape their own provision to positive effect.
  • The school has engaged with the Haringey Curriculum Project for Humanities. The main reason for the decision to engage with this was the focus on reading. The school will be accessing training for this into the Summer Term.
  • The English Leader has purchased and implemented a new spelling scheme across KS2 – the pupils are engaging well with this.
  • Through engagement with the Maths Hub, our Maths Leader, EYFS teacher and Year 2 teacher have received training and support through the Hub which has been cascaded to the rest of the staff. This has improved pedagogy and approaches to teaching to enable consistency and appropriate levels of challenge.

Priority 3 - Leadership and Management

Linked Ofsted Targets: Clarify roles, responsibilities and accountability of staff members, especially those holding subject leader responsibilities. Develop communication with parents to increase understanding about improvements being made in key areas of the school’s work.

Actions Taken

  • Job descriptions have been reviewed, updated and shared with staff so staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities.
  • Performance Management targets are SMART to ensure clear success criteria and timescales for completion.
  • An updated Subject Leadership Guidance document has been developed with staff to support staff with ‘core tasks’ for completion and deadlines and with prompts for carrying out monitoring activities.
  • Teachers received an overview of release time and directed time with clear expectations for work to be completed with timescales.
  • Members of the SLT have taken on the responsibility for PM for TAS to ensure that they are clear about their job role and expectations.
  • Subject Leader files have been established to ensure all leaders are clear about the documentation and tasks they need to complete with timescales.
  • Subject Leaders have audited and purchased resources to enhance curriculum areas taking responsibility for facilitating staff CPD and monitoring the impact of this.
  • SLT have received support from external advisors with monitoring for their areas of subject responsibility – this has aided understanding of: their role requirements; monitoring processes and evaluation.
  • The Maths Leader has provided training for all staff with using the White Rose overviews and materials. This has supported staff with having an understanding of progression in Maths and small steps (sequencing the learning journey in an appropriate order). Pedagogical approaches (i.e. varied fluency through conceptual understanding, bar modelling) have been shared with staff to support their approach to teaching and learning and ultimately consistency across the school.
  • The English Leader has mapped out text types to be taught across the school and has provided staff with training on progression documents for each text type. This has supported staff with planning for English and ensuring there is appropriate progression and challenge across the school. Greater consistency and understanding has also been facilitated for staff through the updated Phonics Policy.
  • The RE Leader has completed ‘Understanding Christianity’ training with the Diocese and has shared updated planning documents and expectations with staff. Through her collaborative work with other schools, she has shared examples of pupils’ work and ideas for Big Question Days which has enhanced the children’s provision and developed the teachers’ understanding.
  • The Art and Design and Design and Technology Leader has mapped out objectives for both subject areas providing resources, support and guidance for staff with planning and teaching these subject areas.
  • The Humanities Leader has engaged with the Haringey Education Partnership to further develop our curriculum offer for History and Geography.
  • The Early Years teacher has worked collaboratively with Peterborough Local Authority to further develop teaching and learning within the Early Years. The outdoor area has been further enhanced by resources purchased through funding bids which have been secured by our PTA. This provision now provides the children with improved, quality resources to mirror the indoor learning environment.
  • Half termly updates are provided to parents via ‘Newsborough’.
  • Headteacher has attended CAFÉ training and plans to start with a Reading Café for Year 2 when restrictions allow.

Priority 4 - Behaviour and Attitudes

Linked Ofsted Target: Ensure that the school’s behaviour policy is understood by parents and is consistently applied by staff.

Actions Taken

  • Following our 2019 Ofsted Inspection, a parental questionnaire was completed to ascertain parental views/understanding of the Behaviour Policy. 99% of parents who responded said that they had read and understood the Policy.
  • Our Behaviour Policy has been updated and implemented following consultation with a range of stakeholders (Autumn 1 2020). All staff now feel more confident of their role in implementing the Behaviour Policy.
  • CPOMS Training has been provided for all staff (teachers, TAs, MDS) and staff are using this to record any Yellow/Red cards – this system makes reviewing a child’s overview/sharing with parents far more streamlined. It has also proven invaluable when sharing information with the Behaviour Panel and Neuro Team.
  • The Headteacher, DHT and Year 2 teacher have accessed the LA STEPS Training – aspects of this have been built into the school’s Behaviour Policy.
  • An application has been made to work with the Behaviour Hub with a view to particularly supporting children with identified SEMH needs – the training and support will start on 24.04.21

Priority 5 - Early Years

Linked Ofsted Target: Review the Early Years provision and planning so that they build on what children already know and can do to better prepare them for Year 1. Further develop the role of adults during child-initiated activities.

Actions Taken

  • The Reception outdoor area has been further developed to increase engagement/ learning opportunities for the pupils. This area has now been organised into ‘zones’ so that the children are able to access large scale construction; role play and musical opportunities; the mud kitchen and digging area; a maths area; gross motor skill development (bikes/trikes). 
  • Visual prompts are embedded into the classroom practice to support the pupils with independence. This supports the children to know the intended purpose of each of the areas of the provision and how to access these meaningfully.
  • EYFS staff have received support from the Peterborough Learning and Teaching Adviser and through externally sourced CPD about their role with facilitating learning – it is evident that staff are engaging effectively with the children and enhancing the provision.
  • The Early Years teacher has engaged with the Maths Hub to develop children’s early number sense – the EYFS teacher has taken ideas from this training and implemented them into her practice to good effect.
  • Differentiation and challenge is evident through the adult directed and child initiated learning opportunities. The questioning and engagement with the adults further supports and extends the learning well.

Priority 6 - Christian Distinctiveness

Parent Questionnaire about the Behaviour Policy - Analysis of results

Actions Taken

  • The Year 5 and Year 6 pupils have the responsibility for planning Worship on alternate Fridays. All pupils are able to read out prayers during Worship each week.
  • Donations from the school community and PTA have been made to the school to develop this area – we aim for our Reflection Garden to be opened after May half term.
  • STARS Wellbeing was introduced to the children in January during lockdown and revisited when all of the children returned to school in March. The feedback and evaluations from this has been very positive so far.
  • Years 3,4 and 5 had the Paws B Mindfulness Curriculum in Spring term. Year 6 will have a transition Mindfulness Curriculum in Summer 2.
  1. Parent Questionnaire
    pdf

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